Indoor gardening probably got started back in the Victorian era. Indoor gardening at that time probably only consisted of a few different plants. A couple of which was the palms and hibiscus. The families that could afford to purchase these plants would fill their entertaining rooms with these beautiful plants. After that period of time people did not want to keep live indoor plants in their homes and so the tradition faded away.

Indoor gardening was reintroduced again during the 1970's but the basic houseplants were foliage plants such as ferns, grape ivy, and spider plants. Today there is a larger selection of plants and many of them are flowering houseplants which include the orchid, geranium, gardenia, begonia, African violet, and bougainvillea. These indoor plants not only bring in color but also pleasant aromas into our homes.   

Your commercial greenhouses and nurseries will be able to help to understand your plants. They will let you know what potting soil to use, what type of sun exposure they need, when to water them. If you can not get this information about your houseplants you can almost feel your way through it with a few indoor gardening tips.

Your common houseplants do have a lifespan just like we do. If some of them have been around for a number of years and are struggling it may be a good idea to replace them. A word of caution, unhealthy indoor plants will attract insects and you do not want that to spread through your entire indoor garden.

A good potting mix for your indoor plants is made up of vermiculite, peat moss, and perlite. These mixes are considered soilless and will absorb the moisture quite well but have a tendency to dry out quickly. These mixes do not contain any nutrients, so you will need to supplement your houseplants consistently with fertilizer. A soilless mix is considered to be sterile therefore there is not much chance of disease or pest problems.

Temperature and humidity are also very important. If your plants were in their natural habitat, they have a temperature difference of about 10 degrees F. from day to night. Your home should supply the same temperature fluctuation. Most indoor garden plants like the humidity to be about 50 percent or higher but they can survive with a little less. If the indoor air is dryer than 35 to 40 percent their roots will not be able absorb enough water. In the winter the humidity is quite low so misting your indoor garden plants will help; better yet a cool vapor humidifier will not only benefit you, the homeowner, but also your houseplants.

When you water your indoor garden plants make sure you soak the root ball until you see water coming from the bottom of the pot. This way you are sure that the entire root has gotten enough moisture. Most indoor gardening houseplants will die from overwatering than anything else so the best habit to have is to check the soil on a few plants and if they are dry 1/2 inch to an inch deep it is time to water.

Your plants will also need nutrients from a fertilizer that has a formulation of 10-10-10, but do not overdo it. Always remember to water your indoor plants first and follow the package instructions. You can also supplement with a fish emulsion if the plants need more nutrients.

Houseplants will differ in their sunlight needs. Many of the flowering houseplants, and some foliage plants, will need to be in a south-facing window roughly about three feet away. During the winter you may want to move your indoor plants closer to the window due to the decrease in lighting. Most houseplants will do best if they receive 12 to 16 hours of light each day. You may have to provide your plants with extra lighting in the winter by the use of grow lights due to the shorter days.

Indoor gardening has really made a comeback these days and adds to having a healthy home. There are so many different ways to go about gardening indoors that exploring them all is exciting.